Top 12 Trending International Education News
September 30, 2021
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While we see that many countries are either opening their borders or are preparing to open their borders to international students, we also learn of several challenges that students face as they head to their universities and colleges for the new term. What is clear, though, is that international students are raring to go back to actual classrooms.
Chinese students are starting their way back to the US as entry limits ease while Australia, long locked down due to the pandemic, is preparing to open its doors to overseas students once again. Despite the continuing challenges, there are indications that international education may just be on its way to some semblance of normalcy.
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Chinese Students Head Back to US as COVID-19 Entry Limits Ease
Chinese international students share their study abroad aspirations in the United States amid the easing of travel restrictions. When the pandemic broke, some foreign students including those hailing from China would first quarantine themselves in another country before flying to the US. Now, Chinese students may fly directly to the US but must submit a negative RT-PCR test result 72 hours before departure plus another test 3-5 days after arrival and a seven-day home quarantine. In 2020, the number of Chinese students in the US fell to 92,000 which is in stark contrast to having 470,000 active students in the country in 2019.
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Post-Secondary School Students in Canada Face ‘Perfect Storm’ That’s Hit Their Housing Budgets
The high demand and short supply for student housing in Canada make it difficult for international students to find a decent place to live at reasonable rates, adding to the stress of late registration and travel bans. Housing assistance organization Places 4 Students co-founder Mark Taylor states that the shortage is due to the loss of rental properties. Owners either sold their properties or are no longer renting to students. With in-person learning back, the sudden influx of international students is making the shortage worse. Fake or misleading rental ads are also exacerbating the problem.
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UK Travel Snub: CoWin Certificates to Mention Date of Birth of Fully Vaccinated Travelling Abroad
The UK government requires travellers from India who received complete Covishield vaccines to have a CoWin certificate with their full date of birth. This announcement was made after the UK on Wednesday, September 24, amended its new travel guidelines to include the Indian-made version of AstraZeneca NSE -0.35% vaccines in its updated list of approved COVID-19 vaccines. However, vaccinated Indian travellers still have to undergo 10 days of quarantine in the UK notwithstanding the amendment.
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Ireland Opens Its Doors for Indian Students; Announces ‘Back to Campus’ Plan 2021
Education in Ireland has organized a virtual showcase to promote the 2022/2023 academic year in Ireland. The virtual showcase will provide the students with the opportunity to speak privately with representatives from Irish higher education institutions. This is also their chance to learn the admissions and visa processes, and the 2-year post-study back option for international students.
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International Students to Return Before Christmas in NSW but Vaccine Requirements Lock Some Out
Australia, the country with the strictest border control amid the pandemic, is preparing to finally open its borders as foreign students are expected to return to New South Wales before Christmas. According to the state government, however, students from China and Nepal are still likely excluded from the pilot plan. Global learners who received a Chinese-manufactured vaccine would be likely excluded as well. About 500 inbound foreign students from around the world will be allowed to enter the Australian borders in early December.
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Schools Call on the Government to Provide Timeline for International Students Return
The Schools International Education Association (SIEBA) in New Zealand reports a loss of millions of dollars for the international education sector due to the lockdown. Before the lockdown, New Zealand had 14,000 international students. The number dropped to 5,000 in 2021. Education officials warn the New Zealand government that the sector would “die” in the absence of any definite timeline for welcoming back overseas students.
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H-1B Visas are Scarce as Computer Job Vacancies Reach 1.2 Million
The United States’ technology industry is facing hiring challenges for high-skilled foreign nationals in H-1B status as approvals for this visa type remain scarce. H-1B visas are one of the practical pathways for global learners who are trained in information technology to work long-term in the US. Critics, on the other hand, attest that foreigners prevent US professionals from obtaining jobs.
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Advocates Push for Action to Help Struggling International Students in Peel
International student advocates in the Regional Municipality of Peel in Canada are pushing for changes in the government to support and protect international students in the region. While international education plays a crucial role in the potential to build a better life, the stakes are also high when things go wrong. Anecdotal evidence shows that vulnerable young immigrants sometimes fall prey to exploitation by landlords, employers, and even criminal elements. Some delegations have recently been sent to the councils of the City of Brampton and Region of Peel, resulting in a round table discussion that may turn the tide.
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Indian Students’ Overseas Spending to Hit $80 Billion a Year by 2024: Redseer
The latest 'Higher Education Abroad' report by consulting firm RedSeer estimates that Indian students' international education spending is set to grow from the current annual $28 billion to $80 billion by 2024. According to the report, the number of Indian students opting to study overseas grew from 440,000 in 2016 to 770,000 in 2019 and is set to grow further to roughly 1.8 million by 2024, resulting in increased overseas spending on higher education. The report adds that most of the students are opting for postgraduate courses in English-speaking destinations.
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Japan’s Universities Tightening Background Checks on Foreign Students
Japan's major universities including those with close ties with China are moving to tighten background checks on foreign students seeking to study civil-military technologies. In a survey participated in by 56 schools including those having student exchange agreements with Chinese universities, 31 said they have tightened student background checks or are planning to do so. They have started to check which schools foreign students have attended and the companies they have worked for. Some universities also ask students whether they wish to find a military-related job, while others request details about research funding students receive.
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After Captivity, Nigerian Students Seek Overseas Education
At least 25 Nigerian students who were kidnapped by bandits are now desperately hoping to study overseas. According to teachers and parents at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization in the state of Kaduna, students now fear pursuing education in Nigeria, and they are now relying on the help of a school committee overseeing their application process for international education. There are no clear plans yet on how their enrollment would work out, except that they are hoping for scholarship opportunities in the US or other countries.
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Afghan Students Accepted for International Programs Cannot Travel
Several Afghan university students who won scholarships cannot attend international programs because the passport office in Kabul remains closed and travel documents cannot be obtained. These students need to renew their passports and receive their visas. Data revealed that on average, around 2,000 Afghan students receive scholarships from schools in India, Russia, Pakistan, China, Japan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey each year. More than 40,000 Afghan students benefited from scholarships over the last two decades.
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Featured Institution: Great Plains College
Situated in the west of Saskatchewan, Great Plains College is one of the fastest-growing colleges in Canada. Its decentralized campuses are located in Kindersley, Swift Current, and Warman with additional programming at locations in Biggar, Maple Creek, and Rosetown. Throughout the locations in western Saskatchewan, the college offers post-secondary certificate, diploma, and degree programs as well as certificate courses in a variety of trades including university programming, skills and safety training, adult basic education, and English language training.
Great Plains College was the first regional college in Saskatchewan to introduce a health and dental plan for its students and also has one of the strongest scholarship programs across Canada.
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Featured Program: Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Public Policy
St. Thomas University’s Communications and Public Policy program explores the connection between communicating with citizens and creating, implementing, and evaluating public policy. The program offers a unique set of courses that focus on both public and private-sector communications with an emphasis on how this impacts public policy. Among the critical and transferable skills gained from studying Communications and Public Policy include critical thinking, written and verbal communications, multimedia skills, public speaking, and professional career preparation skills. Located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, St. Thomas University is a small, primarily undergraduate university dedicated to excellence in liberal arts education.
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International Education Conferences & Workshops |
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Bolder. Braver. Go
Sept 28 to October 1, 2021 (Online)
Australia’s Gold Coast
October 5 to 8, 2021
(Online)
October 18 to 22, 2021
(Online)
October 19 to 22, 2021 in Chile (Online)
Relevance and Value of Universities to Future Society
October 26 to 29, 2021, Dublin, Ireland
November 15 to 19, 2021 (Online)
September 28 to October 1, 2021, in Gothenburg, Sweden
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November 25 to 28, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan (Online)
December 1 to 3, 2021 in New Zealand
December 8 to 12, 2021 in Miami, Florida
Education: building forward; stronger, bolder.
January 16 to 19, 2022
March 24 to 26, 2022 (Online)
March 27 to 31, 2022 in Vancouver, Canada
Building Our Sustainable Future
May 31 to June 3, 2022 in Denver, Colorado, USA
September 13 to 16, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain
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